This invention relates to weapons and has particular relationship to muzzle-loading guns. As indicated by its name, a muzzle-loading gun is loaded through its barrel. An adequate charge of powder is first poured down the barrel into the breech of the gun. Then a projectile, typically a musket/minnie ball, is thrust through the barrel into the breech. The ball may be wrapped in a greased patch. The musket ball is tamped down tightly on the powder. The gun is then primed and discharged. A muzzle-loading gun is provided with a ramrod which is removably contained in a receptacle extending from the barrel. In addition, there is a ball starter which is carried separately from the gun with the powder and musket balls. The ball starter includes a grip from which a bar or shaft extends. In addition, the ball starter includes a stud which penetrates the grip and is keyed to the shaft. Typically, the grip is spherical. The musket ball is seated in the muzzle of the barrel with the stud or key and then thrust into the barrel a short distance by the shaft. Then it is thrust into the breech and tamped to the powder by the ramrod. The musket ball has a small flat tip called a "sprue" which is produced when it is molded. It is essential that the ball be inserted in the barrel with this tip axially outwardly. The musket ball is a tight sliding fit in the barrel. The orientation of the tip is thus facilitated.
Recently considerable interest has been aroused in muzzle-loading guns. An important cause of this interest is the action of a number of states, including Pennsylvania, in setting open-season periods for the hunting of wild animals with muzzle-loading guns. A typical open-season period has a duration of about a week. The hunters necessarily desire to devote the whole time permitted to the sport. Frequently a musket ball is undesirably lodged in the breech. This may happen when the gun is primed and fails to fire when an attempt is made to discharge it because the powder is damp or aged. At times the hunter forgets to deposit the powder in the breech and the ball lodges in the breech. So that the hunter may continue to enjoy the period for which he has set aside a vacation or has interrupted his work, it is necessary that the musket ball be promptyly and readily removed from the breech in which it is lodged. It is an object of this invention to accomplish this purpose.
In accordance with the teachings of the prior art, the ramrod is threaded at its inner end to receive a screw-jag tool. This tool is to be injected or screwed into the musket ball by pressing on the ramrod and turning it. Once the ball is engaged by the tool, the tool is to be removed by pulling on the ramrod. This expedient has proven ineffective. The length of the ramrod is such that, when inserted in the barrel, it projects only a short distance from the muzzle so that it may be carried in its receptacle on the gun. Being of this length, the ramrod cannot be effectively gripped to exert the force required to inject the screw-jag tool into the musket ball and to withdraw the ball from the barrel.
Another prior-art expedient is an extra-long ramrod or a ramrod with a handle attached to it. Such a ramrod can neither be carried in the gun nor can it, because of its length, be conveniently carried as auxiliary or accessory equipment.
Because of the deficiencies of the prior-art facilities for removing lodged musket balls, many hunters have found it necessary to interrupt their hunting trip and hava a gunsmith remove the musket ball. It is an object of the invention to overcome the above-described drawbacks and deficiencies of the prior art and to provide a readily available facility for effectively removing a musket ball undesirably lodged in the breech of a muzzle-loading gun.